Students revising at a desk
A larger bottle or multipack can stay near your study space, with a smaller bottle to hand while you work. The NHS advises drinking regularly throughout the day; plain still water keeps the choice simple alongside snacks.
Who is each format for?
Students choosing an alternative to sugary drinks
Sugar-free flavoured water offers a fruit-flavoured option. Check sugars on the nutrition panel and read the ingredients of the exact flavour, as sweeteners and other ingredients vary between products.
Students moving between study locations
Separate 500ml bottles may be easier to carry between home, school and the library than a large desk bottle. Consider where you can store the rest of a multipack.
What should you check?
Plain still water
Choose it: When you want an unflavoured drink beside your revision snacks.
Trade-off: A larger bottle is less convenient to carry between study locations.
Sugar-free flavoured still water
Choose it: When fruit flavour appeals more than plain water.
Trade-off: Ingredients vary; Volvic’s cited strawberry product contains citric acid, a preservative and sweeteners.
Sparkling water
Choose it: When you prefer carbonation; the NHS suggests sparkling water for people who dislike plain water.
Trade-off: Choose a bottle format that works for your study space and travel.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Read sugars per 100ml on the exact bottle. If choosing flavoured water, distinguish “sugar free” from “low sugar”. | I want a drink alongside snacks without choosing a sugary flavoured option by mistake. |
| Flavour and ingredients | Check whether the water is still or sparkling and read the ingredient list of flavoured varieties for acids, sweeteners or preservatives. | Plain water does not always appeal to me, but I want to know what is in a flavoured alternative. |
| Bottle format | Compare the number and size of bottles with your carrying and storage space. Check the label for instructions after opening. | For a desk session, I can keep a larger bottle nearby; between locations, separate smaller bottles may be easier to carry. |
| Water type | Read whether the label says spring water, natural mineral water or flavoured water. For mineral details, use the exact bottle’s composition table. | I want to choose by taste and label details, rather than assume a mineral profile will improve my revision. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating “low sugar” and “sugar free” as interchangeable
Front-of-pack wording alone may not answer whether a flavoured drink meets your sugar-free criterion.
Check sugars per 100ml and per serving on the nutrition panel, then read the ingredients of the exact flavour.
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Choosing water for a supposed revision benefit from minerals
Brand composition tables show different mineral values, but a mineral figure does not establish an improvement in concentration or exam results.
Use the table to check the water’s stated composition, and choose the format and taste that suit your study session.
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Relying on an online description instead of the bottle
Ingredients, nutrition and storage directions can change. Tesco advises shoppers to read the product label rather than rely solely on website information.
Check the bottle’s current ingredients and storage instructions, especially if you avoid a particular ingredient.
Brand and retailer references
These ranges illustrate different formats and labels to check; a brand’s inclusion here does not mean every product in its range has the same ingredients.
Highland Spring
Its range includes plain still, sparkling and flavoured still water.
- Highland Spring lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its cited flavoured still range.
- Check the particular flavour’s bottle rather than applying a range description to every variant.
Evian
A natural mineral water option with a published composition for its UK 1L bottle.
- Evian’s 1L page lists calcium at 80mg/L, magnesium at 26mg/L and sodium at 6.5mg/L.
- Those figures describe the stated mineral composition, not a revision benefit.
Volvic
Its range includes plain mineral water and sugar-free flavoured still water.
- Volvic’s cited Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L product lists 0g sugars per 100ml.
- That product also lists citric acid, a preservative and sweeteners; inspect the label of the variant you buy.
Buxton
Its still-water range includes 500ml and larger bottles; sparkling water is another format to consider.
- Buxton publishes a mineral-composition table for its cited still water.
- The composition does not establish a study-performance advantage.
Tesco
A retailer reference for own-label still water in larger bottles and multipacks, alongside other water formats.
- Its cited range includes British Natural Mineral Water Still in 5L and 6x2L formats.
- Read the current product label because formulation information can change.
Sainsbury's
A retailer reference for own-label British bottled spring water and branded waters.
- Its cited own-label still spring water includes a 2L bottle with a published mineral table.
- Follow storage directions on the exact bottle; directions for one size should not be assumed for another.
Joybuy water options
These options cover plain still water for a desk or household supply, sugar-free strawberry-flavoured still water and sparkling water in separate bottles. Choose between them by flavour, bottle format and the details on the current label.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free Flavoured Water 6x500ml
The separate bottles suit study days spent between locations. Check the current label for the ingredients of this strawberry-flavoured variant.
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Highland Spring Still Water 6x1.5 L
This plain still-water multipack suits a study space where larger bottles can be stored. Follow the bottle’s directions after opening.
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White Rock Still Spring Water 6x2 L
The six larger bottles are an option for desk-based or household use rather than carrying a full bottle between study locations. Check the storage instructions on the pack.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still Flavoured Water 1.25L
A larger strawberry-flavoured still-water bottle may suit a desk session. Check its current nutrition panel and ingredients if sugar content or particular additives matter to you.
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Buxton Sparkling Water 8x500ml
Choose this sparkling option if you prefer carbonation and want separate bottles to carry to study sessions. Its format is a matter of taste and convenience, not a claim about revision performance.
Questions about bottled water for revision
Is plain bottled water a sensible choice with revision snacks?
Yes. Plain still water is a straightforward unflavoured choice, and the NHS advises drinking regularly throughout the day. Choose a bottle format that works where you study.
Can I choose sugar-free flavoured water instead of plain water?
Yes, if you prefer the flavour and the exact bottle meets your sugar-free criterion. Check its nutrition panel and ingredients: Volvic’s cited Strawberry Sugar Free product lists citric acid, a preservative and sweeteners.
What about sparkling water during revision?
Sparkling water is an option if you enjoy carbonation. The NHS suggests it for people who dislike plain water; choose between sparkling and still water by taste and bottle format rather than assuming either improves concentration.
How should I store bottled water after opening it?
Follow the instructions on your bottle. For its cited 5L still spring water, Sainsbury's says to refrigerate after opening and use within three days; do not apply that product-specific direction to every bottle.